Boundless
by Rome OMD
Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger’s promise?
1. Prologue

Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger's promise?

Part(s): Prologue, 4 Parts

Rating: PG-13

Author: Rome OMD

Date of Completion (Prologue): 6/30/06

Date of Publication (Prologue): 7/1/06

Note(s): The prologue takes place before the ending of the OAV (_Tsuioku-hen_) while the following four parts take place at the end of the second OAV (_Seishouhen_). Of course, there will be tweaked details here and there, so heads up.

Disclaimer: Rome OMD does not own neither the _RK_ series nor the _RK OAV_. However, I am using their characters without permission in the following piece of fictional work for non-profit uses.

Boundless

Prologue

With the transition of seasons outside the walls of her home, Tomoe cooked dinner that evening with the same ease that frequently characterized her actions and demeanor. The clinging of pots and pans, the sizzling of grilled fish as well as the heat from the steamed rice all fell into a rhythm that she had memorized from days and weeks of practicing the same routine every evening. She had just finished seasoning the fish when she heard Kenshin enter their household, audibly patting the snow off his clothing. She prepared the table and laid the food out as soon as possible, worried that he may wait longer than necessary.

A few moments into the meal, Kenshin spoke, surprising her for they usually ate in silence. She looked at him, to show that he had her attention. But his focus remained on the food, his chopsticks reaching for a piece of the fish before he started.

"Tomorrow morning I will be traveling to Okata to sell medicine. It's about a half a day's walk from here, maybe more. It is very unlikely that I should return before nightfall tomorrow."

"Why travel so far?"

"A man approached me today while I was in town. He wanted me to help his son, who is bedridden and very ill."

Though Tomoe's stare remained unwavering, she could not help but wonder at his reasons for wanting to travel such a distance even if it was to provide medicine and aid. But, after this moment of doubt, she found herself answering her own question. During the many months they had lived together under the guise of husband and wife in their home in Otsu, she had seen him undergo a transformation so gradual and yet simultaneously so dramatic.

Tomoe recalled the first time she had seen beneath the indifferent, cold mask of the Hitokiri Battousai. She had walked into his room while he slept, his back leaning against a wall of unread books. At closer examination of his face, she saw that his strain and stress had vanished and all that remained was the wholesome youth of a boy growing up as well as the longing for peace of a man living in this time and era.

Now that they lived a distance away from the violence and chaos of the city, he had slowly evolved from an assassin to a man who loved the tranquility of his home and life. During moments when he did not notice her stares, Tomoe saw gentleness and light joy in his features, which never failed to make her inwardly smile with joy as well. Now, as a medicine seller, he had the ability to help, to give life, and he pursued each possible chance with an honest desire to provide aid.

"The food is delicious. Thank you," Kenshin said as he finished his final bite.

Tomoe nodded in tacit gratitude before clearing the table and making for the kitchen.

---

When Tomoe closed her diary, she allowed the flame of her paper lamp to continue burning so that she could steal a final glance around the dimly lighted room. Sitting by the fireplace, however, she saw Kenshin still awake, which surprised her for she usually found him asleep by this time. Stowing her diary away in a drawer, she eventually made her way to his side.

While providing the warmth of the home, the flickering fire played like autumn leaves on the couple's white robes. An abrupt chill passed through Tomoe's body, forcing her to tremble just visibly enough for Kenshin to notice.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"It was just a bit chilly for a moment." Tomoe leaned forward, to welcome more of the fire's pleasant embrace. However, she felt Kenshin's stare still focused on her afterwards. She slowly met his gaze, captivated by the beauty of his gentle eyes. In them, she not only saw the peace that resulted of their new life together but also the sadness of the years of solitude that he had had to endure throughout his childhood. In a flood of sympathy, Tomoe reached forward to weave her fingers through his fine red hair.

He leaned into her touch, with his hands holding her own. She fell towards him until her head rested against his chest. When she felt his arms cradle her in an embrace, she straightened herself up until her face was no more than a centimeter away from his. And slowly, the distance that separated their lips disappeared.

With her hands holding onto his shoulders and his arms surrounding her waist, they slowly fell backwards onto their modest bed, enraptured in each other's presence. When they parted for air, Kenshin rested his head in the crook of Tomoe's neck as his larger body loomed over hers. They continued to show their affection to one another by speaking tender words and sharing tender caresses.

The night eventually reached a climax of passion when Kenshin sought entry, to which Tomoe consented. During the moment in which they connected as one, she opened her eyes to once again meet his gentle, reassuring gaze and then smiled as he did. And for the remaining hours of moon's reign, they slept in each other's arms, fingers woven together, with comfort, warmth, and an indescribable happiness.

---

The next morning, when Kenshin left for Okata, Tomoe bid her husband farewell at the door and found that the words they exchanged held more meaning and emotion than they had in the past. As she watched the disappearance of her husband's walking figure, she widened her eyes when she felt a burst of life make itself known within her. Placing her hand on her stomach, Tomoe smiled and went into the house.

After many hours of housework, Tomoe chose to spend the afternoon on a relaxing promenade outside, despite the layer of the snow that had covered the ground the night before. With her violet shawl, she greeted the cool weather outside.

As she walked down a pathway that had been cleared of snow, Tomoe heard a fit of coughs that seemed to have come from an old lady not very far ahead. She quickened her pace, eager to offer whatever help she could.

A middle-aged woman, covered in tattered rags, crouched on the side of the pathway, holding a balled fist in front of her coughing mouth. She did not seem to notice Tomoe's presence until the latter stood right next to her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Tomoe asked, leaning over to match the woman's height.

"If you could provide me with some warmth, I will be very satisfied."

"I live not far from here. Please, follow me."

"You are very kind, thank you." Tomoe offered her arm and retraced her steps as she guided the woman to her home.

The woman's coughing fits noticeably diminished in severity once she set foot inside Tomoe's home. "Will you drink some tea?"

"Yes."

Tomoe promptly prepared the drink while the woman sat by the dining table, neatly folding her cloak and placing it to the side. The woman gratefully took the tea and politely sipped it as Tomoe sat opposite her.

"Do you have a husband? He is a very lucky man."

"Are you cold? I can prepare a fire if you are."

"No, no, dear. The tea is serving me quite well. What is your husband's name?"

"He is a medicine seller. His name is Himura Kenshin."

"And yours?"

She hesitated. "Himura Tomoe."

"Ah." The stranger took her time in sipping her tea, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. "You have been very kind to me, Tomoe-san. You've offered help to a complete stranger, brought me to your home, and given me tea. I thank you very much." The lady slightly bowed her head. "But I cannot accept all of this without giving anything back. So, let me offer you this: Excuse my bluntness, but your time is short, because you are caught in a web of obscured ties in this cruel, violent time."

Tomoe stared at the woman sitting in front of her with unwavering eyes, her mouth dry of words. The woman sensed her incredulousness, knowing this much as expected.

"However, I can give you an additional winter season to live and to be with your husband, after your death."

"Death?" Tomoe continued staring at the woman, so shocked that she sat motionless. The very notion of coming back from the death escaped reason within her mind and baffled her to no end. Of course, this occurred after she had somewhat swallowed the woman's words that her end neared. She then wondered if the stranger in front of her was even real.

"Yes, your death. I have a winter season left to live before my own, but I can give it to you to reunite with your husband once more."

"I cannot possibly accept such an offer! But, that is only if I believe in the verisimilitude of your words, which I doubt."

"I speak naught but the truth." Just the sound of the woman's voice seemed to confirm the reason within her words, though Tomoe still harbored qualms.

"Please take it back, before I am tempted…" She averted her gaze. The woman sat next to her, placing her hand on Tomoe's own.

"Too late, I have already given it to you." Tomoe's eyes widened as she processed the woman's words. "You were the first one in an entire week to show me such kindness, and many had walked that very trail during those seven days. Time is a precious thing; do not waste it, else you'll regret too much to forgive yourself."

The woman stood up to leave, reaching for her cloak. When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, as if a forgotten idea had just hit across the head that very moment. "Oh, curse my poor memory. During that winter season, you will not be able to speak and he will not remember. However, that shouldn't stop you if your feelings are as strong as they seem to be." Before taking her exit, the woman looked over her shoulder to glance once more at Tomoe's still figure. "Love is a boundless entity that transcends time and limitations of any form, including the physical limitations of human beings. But nor shall it continue in deception. You shouldn't mislead him anymore, Tomoe-san."

---

When Kenshin returned from his journey, the two of them spent the night together in each other's arms as they had done so only a few evenings before. Tomoe took refuge from her bittersweet foresight in the heat of their passion, their love. And the next morning, she woke early to meet the bloody end that Fate had preordained for her life.

End of Prologue

Author's Note(s): Okay, that was awkward… Prepare for romance, drama, and whatever else I decide to write in the future for this story! If you have the time, would you mind dropping a comment or two to tell me how I did? That would be wonderful. Thanks for reading! And another heads up, the rest of the story (if anyone cares) may take a while to update b/c it's summer vacation, and I've got stuff to do and places to go (yay!). Thanks again!


	2. Part I: December

Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger's promise?

Part(s): Prologue, 4 Parts

Rating: PG-13

Author: Rome OMD

Date of Completion (Part I): 7/12/06

Date of Publication (Part I): 8/4/06

Note(s): The prologue takes place before the ending of the OAV (_Tsuioku-hen_) while the following four parts take place at the end of the second OAV (_Seishouhen_). Of course, there will be tweaked details here and there, so heads up.

Disclaimer: Rome OMD does not own neither the _RK_ series nor the _RK OAV_. However, I am using their characters without permission in the following piece of fictional work for non-profit uses.

Boundless

Part I: December

The trees whispered, the wind sang, the water danced, the sun beckoned, and the land called out to her. When the first day of winter arrived, so did her time to finally wake up. When she regained consciousness, she had only one thought in mind: To find Himura Kenshin, her husband. She now possessed time and another chance to love, to say what she had never said to him before passing away. She wanted to exclaim and rejoice in this blessing but found no voice with which to do so. Clutching her empty throat, she wept in silent agony.

---

Tomoe leaned against the tree marking the entrance to the town in front of her. She held onto it for support in order to re-balance herself on her legs. She then amusingly laughed to herself, finding the idea of having to re-learn how to walk after her many years of dormancy quite comical.

Dirt streets and rows of buildings boldly stood in front of her. Street venders lined the sides of the roads as did several customers, who walked from one to another with bee-like busyness. Though only morning, many of the town's people had already awoken to get a start on their day's work. She even saw a police officer nobly riding on a horse to regulate the hectic scene in front of her.

Once she regained her equilibrium, Tomoe entered the bustling scene ahead to become just another spec of the crowd. People sold fruits, jewelry, trinkets, and many other beautiful objects. From behind their vending desks, people squawked at Tomoe to purchase their products like birds from within a cage, but she ignored their attentions as she continued her way down the road.

As much as she would have enjoyed exploring the busy streets of the marketplace, Tomoe could not afford to dawdle and malinger there. However, whenever she tried to ask an affable-looking stranger passing by for directions to her desired destination, she remembered that she had no voice with which to speak her request and the stranger would flash a look of annoyance before strutting away. But Tomoe would not let these setbacks eat away at her determination; they were but pebbles on the road.

Eventually she stumbled upon a vender who sold scrolls on which were painted the sayings of famous poets, philosophers, writers with the calligraphic handwriting of a brush. The man stood up from his stool in the shade of his clothed canopy to meet Tomoe as she approached.

"Welcome, ma'am. Any of these scrolls catch your eye?"

Tomoe smiled as she examined one philosophical proverb to another.

"Are you interested in calligraphy? I can give you lessons for just a small fee, ma'am."

Tomoe just smiled again.

"Hey, what's your name?" When she motioned to her throat with a countenance of sorrowful regret, he immediately understood. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Can I help with anything?"

When Tomoe saw the vender's honest altruism, she gratefully accepted his offer. After a few minutes worth of her efforts at pantomiming, the vender eventually understood that she was in search of someone. Tomoe traced an unseen cross-scar on her left cheek.

"I'm sorry; who?" She traced her cheek again. "You know what? How about if you just write his name." He handed her a piece of blank parchment and an inked brush. As she wrote, she noticed him admire her smooth and elegant strokes and could not help but feel a bit proud of her penmanship, which had won admiration from childhood. "Himura Kenshin? Ah, yes! The man with the cross-scar. He usually hangs out with the head of the Kamiya dojo. I'm sure if you go there you'll be able to find him."

Tomoe nodded in appreciation to the man, who noticed a certain glow in her eyes before turning around and traveling in the direction of the dojo.

---

Tomoe closed her eyes as she walked down the streets, recalling the memories of the life she had shared with her husband in their home in Otsu, when they had temporarily escaped the evil of mankind that bloodied the streets and stole happiness and lives during the Revolution. When a breeze passed by her, she pushed a lock of hair behind her ears as she looked up towards the vastness of the sky above, which was partly canopied by a couple of overreaching branches that barely had a few petals left. However, neither the chilliness of the wintry air nor the cruelty of a few of her memories could relieve her of the happiness that jumped in her heart as she walked closer and closer to the dojo. She had another chance and promised herself that she would not leave until he learned what she had never said to him before when she was alive.

According to the vender's direction, taking the right of the following intersection would lead her down the street on which stood the Kamiya dojo. She felt her anticipation become as unfathomable as the ocean's depth. Tomoe placed a hand over her heart in a futile attempt to calm the beating palpitations inside of her. The corner neared, and then, she turned.

And stopped.

What lay in front of her was undeniably breathtaking but heartbreaking as well. The ocean that had once contained her joy betrayed her and drowned her in pitiful mockery. It laughed at her, and to it she responded with absolute silence.

A man tiredly lay in the arms of a beautifully aged lady, whose name Tomoe did not know. A late-blossoming Sakura tree sheltered the couple like a rainbow of falling petals. With their eyes closed, they were unaware of all but one another as they rested on the grassy turf that stood outside the dojo's entrance. A smile as beautiful as the morning's sunrise dawned on the lady's face as she kept his head on her lap, her hand stroking his long red hair. They appeared so at peace that to simply breathe seemed like an unreasonable disturbance.

However, Tomoe's attention quickly settled on the redheaded man; it was unmistakably him. On his left cheek, there remained nothing but the faintest trace of what had been the cross-scar that Tomoe had consummated right before her death with the hope of keeping her memory burning alive for the rest of his life.

Questions poured like an unstoppable cataract in her mind, but before she could provide an answer to any of them, Tomoe quickly turned on her heel and rushed away from the provenance of her heartbreak.

---

The wine tasted like fire as it traveled down her throat. However, Tomoe enthusiastically greeted the painful conflagration, hoping that each droplet would somehow swab away her forlorn feelings. Outside the window, the leisure with which the sun took to set began to irk her, for she wanted not only the day but the entire winter season to end since having that image of Kenshin lying in the arms of another recur over and over again in her mind. She wanted to curse the _obaa-san_ for giving her this second torture; she wanted to spit at her feet. She took a longer sip of the wine this time, again savoring the fiery sensations.

"Miss?"

Tomoe turned her attention from the sunset to the waitress standing by her table. The waitress politely bowed before addressing Tomoe again. "Sorry, miss, but I couldn't help noticing that you've been drinking since, well, morning. I see you're depressed, but shouldn't you stop soon?"

_Sometimes the sinful fire can make one forget the regrets and sorrows of one's life._

"You shouldn't take advice from an uneducated nobody like me, but you may end up wallowing in even more sadness by drinking so much. Maybe you should do something about whatever's troubling you, miss." The waitress took away the empty bottle from Tomoe's table and replaced it with a new one, which she had earlier ordered. Tomoe's eyes remained focused on the empty drinking cup in front of her, but her ears rang with the waitress' words. She looked outside; the sun had set thus marking the beginning of night and the end of the first day of winter. The bottle was left unopened on the table when she left the restaurant.

Less people roamed the streets during the night than during the day; though an obvious fact to Tomoe, she could not help but notice it. They traveled quickly, eager to arrive at their destination. However, she walked at a languid pace, the effects of so much alcohol suddenly taking a strong hold of her kinesthesia. Her vision blurred, hearing fuzzed, and movements dragged. In less than a minute into her nighttime promenade, she fell against the nearest wall, straining to regain her coordination.

Much to her horror, a group of equally intoxicated men walked her way and circled around her weary figure. They laughed at her, inhaling the sweetness of her perfume and petting the softness of her hair. At the command of the largest man there, his companions forced Tomoe into the nearest alley where the absence of light greatly frightened her. She fell down to her feet, breathing heavily.

"Got a knife?" the man said again. "I need it just in case she begins to resist. But you won't, right, babe?" Tomoe gloomily stared at the approaching man, her will having dissipated the moment they pushed her to the ground. "Cry for me, okay?"

Tomoe wanted to scream her frustration out against the forceful men, Fate, against the woman. She wanted to cry out against of Kenshin, that beautiful lady, and she wanted to die because of her cursed revival. Tears began to form in her eyes and sobs in her throat, but she made no sound, staying as silent as freshly fallen snow. _I've died once; I can die again. _Wintry breezes greeted her now exposed legs.

"Leave her alone, and we will not use force against you."

The sound of her savior's voice initially lifted Tomoe's spirits before depressing them once again.

"Really, Kenshin. We ought to anyway, 'cause they disturbed us before either of us could finish our sake," said another with an unfamiliar scruffy voice.

The man who had hovered over Tomoe's body stood up and turned around, visibly annoyed. He pulled up his sleeves, showing off the firm muscles of his arms. "Two against five? Don't make us laugh."

The moment the man lifted the knife, the five men fell one by one down to the ground, loud thumps against the stone ground signaling their defeat. They groaned in pain as they unsuccessfully tried to stand back up. Tomoe dared not meet her saviors' eyes, fumbling to re-organize her clothing so that it covered any bare skin.

"May we help you, miss?" When she looked up, Kenshin knelt in front of her, a helpful hand held out. Tomoe hesitated before finally accepting it and stood up with her eyes averted to the side. "Are you alright?"

"You should thank Kenshin here, 'cause he's the one who sensed you were in danger. He smelled your perfume, right?" The redhead's companion turned towards him.

"Yes, Sano."

"_Haku baikou_, you said. I think you were dead-on this time," the man named Sanosuke replied.

As the two conversed in front of her, Tomoe quickly stole a glance at Kenshin. He appeared exactly the same, but the most striking difference lay in the placidity of his entire demeanor, which inadvertently saddened her. In her memory, he had never talked, acted, or smiled in the way he did now. He had transformed into what seemed a completely different person, but Tomoe knew that the man standing in front of her was still the same Kenshin she loved, even if she did not bring the smiles or laughter to his days but the lady in whose lap Kenshin had rested earlier.

The snow fell and the chilly wind blew, but Tomoe was numb to it all. _How funny that during my last winter season, I had loved you so passionately, and now that I've another to spend with you, I feel like I cannot anymore, _anata. _What a curse, what a blessing you've given me… _Tomoe thought ruefully as she fell backwards onto the snow-covered ground, the alcohol and depression finally taking hold of her entire being. _He does not remember… _The tears froze in her eyes before they could fall.

---

"_It's getting colder. Winter is coming." Tomoe turned around to the source of the voice. Kenshin walked up from behind her and stood by her side. "This may be a longer winter than those of recent years." Tomoe returned her attention to the bleak garden in front of her, which had thrived with life just a few weeks before. It saddened her to see such emptiness._

_The silence that she shared with Kenshin brought comfort, but neither that nor the alfresco serenity could completely mollify her ailing spirit. In the barrenness of the garden, the deadness of the trees, the grayness of the sky, she constantly saw his face. Kiyosato Akira's face filled her thoughts at almost every moment of her new life in Otsu, which she shared with the very murderer who had killed her fiancé, who now stood right beside her. Was this betrayal? A vicious murderous intent boiled inside of her like a waking volcano; her urge to reach for her dagger soared. The tension thundered inside her, but she endured it as it had become a familiarity after so much frequency._

_But, in contrast to similar moments in the past, Tomoe suppressed the chaos inside of her with somewhat ease this time and would learn to avoid it altogether in the future for of the night before, she remembered a dream. In it, darkness, blood, confusion, chaos, and vengeance ruled so powerfully that this morning, Kenshin had mentioned that she had tossed and turned in her sleep, something she had never done before. Bodies lay lifeless on the ground, red stained the streets, and cries were ubiquitous. The malevolence of her dream seemed unconquerable. However, as soon as this doubt had risen in her heart, from beyond the horizon came a bright white light that immediately dissipated the darkness._

_The light originated from an unidentifiable figure. However, it was not Akira for he stood beside her. When she turned to look at him, he smiled, and then motioned to the figure with his hand. And then, her dream ended._

_Whether it held great significance or not was of no significance to Tomoe. What held great significance was her ability now, after the dream, to ease the ill will she once directed at the man standing beside her outside their home—the Hitokiri Battousai, Himura Kenshin._

_When she looked at him, he returned her gaze before turning around to walk into their home. She stood outside and watched him disappear. Or was this trust? The smallest of snowflakes began falling from the sky. Winter had begun._

Groggy voices woke Tomoe up from her reminiscence. "Where did you find her, Kenshin?"

"Sano and I were out having a drink when we heard noises outside. Megumi, will she be okay?"

"She'll be fine. You guys intervened just in time, because I don't see any fresh injuries on her. Just give her some rest. However, did she seem to show any sort of uneasiness in using her right shoulder?"

"No, why?"

"Well, she has the largest scar I've ever seen. It looks like the work of a sword or something, and it looks like it had cut deep into her body. But I wonder; how did she survive such an injury? Do you know her name?"

"_Haku baikou…"_

"What did you say?"

"When I saw her face, that's what I first thought of. But maybe it's just because that's the scent of the perfume she's wearing." He paused. "But, no, I don't know her name."

"Actually, Megumi, that's what brought Kenshin's attention outside—her perfume. Hey, she's actually not all that bad-looking either. She's quite beautiful now that we have a close-up."

"Stop it, Sanosuke," another lady's voice reproached.

"Relax, Kaoru. _I_ said she was hot, not Kenshin."

Tomoe felt her energy return and stirred. Her eyes fluttered open to meet the blurry images of four faces, some familiar, some not. She struggled to straighten herself up to appear presentable to those who had saved her that night.

"Are you feeling okay?" the one named Megumi asked. Tomoe nodded. "What is your name?" Tomoe closed her mouth just as she opened it, remembering that she was mute. She motioned to her throat and a few moments later, Megumi comprehended when she widened her eyes. Tomoe lifted her finger and wrote her name in the air—four strokes.

"Would you mind writing it again?" Sanosuke asked.

But before she moved to repeat the gesture, Kenshin asked, "Your name is Tomoe?" The other four turned to look at him, but he simply shrugged. "That is your name, right?" Tomoe returned an affirmative nod.

"All questions should be left for morning." Kaoru looked at Tomoe, smiling. "You should rest. You may stay here as long as you like. We won't disturb you anymore." At this, the four left her to sleep for the rest of the night. However, she did not once shut her eyes in sleep after seeing that Kenshin did not once turn to look back at her as he left the room with Kaoru by his side.

---

Sanosuke woke to the sweet aroma of breakfast the next morning. He followed its trail to the kitchen, where he felt an abrupt but heartily welcome blast of warm steam, scented with the sweetness of morning foods. It did not surprise him when he saw Tomoe standing there instead of Kaoru, adeptly cooking the meal, because despite the latter's great character, she lacked the ability to cook even for her life.

"_Ohayo_, Tomoe-san. Are you feeling better?" Tomoe turned to look at him to give him a brief nod. "That's great. So, ehh, when's breakfast gonna be ready?"

"Can't you think about anything other than food? I'm getting kind of sick of it after all these years."

"Oi, Yahiko! When d'you get back?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. We got back this morning, right before dawn." Yahiko quietly asked Sanosuke from the side of his mouth, "Who's she? Pretty hot."

"Be quiet, Yahiko," Kaoru's voice scolded in the kitchen. "You'd think one would mature over the years, but you're still the same."

"Thank you for your most hospitable welcome. Guess who I brought home from his sword-training."

As Tomoe placed the separate dishes on the table, she looked up to catch a glance of the approaching visitor. What she saw would have caused her to drop the plate onto which she was holding onto the ground had she not already put it on the table.

"Kenji!" Kaoru walked forward to embrace her son, who appeared to be an exact replica of his father except for the eyes, which resembled his mother's. Kenshin soon after appeared in the kitchen and welcomed his son home, nothing but pride shining in his eyes.

Tomoe placed a hand on her stomach. _What if I had lived? What if our child had survived? Then, would… _Tomoe adamantly refused to permit her thoughts to progress any further. She decided to hide the searing pain behind a façade of admiration for the child's handsomeness.

Kenji looked at Tomoe and asked, "Who is she?"

"Don't be so rude," Kaoru said.

"He's just a bit pissed at having lost a lil' duel with me," Yahiko said, airily feigning arrogance.

"You're no better, Yahiko," Kaoru said as she whacked him across the head.

Eager to break the belligerent atmosphere, Kenshin loudly pronounced, "Time for breakfast! We can't let all this great food that Tomoe-dono's put together for us to go to waste." Everyone agreed in a blur of concurrent grunts as they took their seats.

They ate in cheerfulness. Kenji's return brought immense joy to the table, particularly to his father and mother. Sanosuke and Yahiko anxiously grabbed at the food, tacitly racing to see who could bring their stomachs to a greater circumference while also remembering that once Tomoe left, they would no longer have such culinary pleasures. By the end, nearly all the food had been eaten with perhaps exception to a few grains of rice.

"The food is delicious. Thank you," Kenshin said as he finished his final bite.

Tomoe smiled in tacit gratitude before clearing the table and making for the kitchen.

---

Once the afternoon arrived, Tomoe prepared herself to leave. "Are you sure you don't want to stay just another night longer? It's no hassle to us at all," Kaoru explained while preparing a bag of things for Tomoe to take with her at her departure.

_Whether with intent or not, I would disturb your lives in one way or another. I was not meant to have this extra winter season; the lady was too kind that she unfortunately brought me sadness instead of joy. You have a son to care for that I know I would look at with longing and spite. I don't want to bring such unhealthiness into your home._

"Are you absolutely certain?"

_You are wonderful, Kaoru-san, but I cannot stay here, because I feel deathly heartsick to know that my—no—your husband has begun a life that no longer includes the memory of the one who because she loves him had died and returned._

"If you must go, know that you are always welcome here."

_Thank you, Kaoru-san. I now know why he loves you so._

Tomoe nodded before walking away from the dojo. She smiled at the waving figures from the gates of the dojo's entrance. Everyone shouted farewell at her, but when she looked at Kenshin, he held the most perfunctory of smiles. He neither waved nor shouted but appeared lost in his own pensiveness. She looked at his cheek and saw the absence of a scar.

_Let me find work; let me rid myself of him. Let me return to the rhythm of work in the kitchen, in the inn, in a place where I can relieve my mind of this sorrow. This winter season will soon end, and I will no longer have to suffer from the knowledge that this was not our time to be together. Love is not boundless; it has limitations. I've found that I cannot overcome them, nor can he._

End of Part I: December

Author's Note(s): I feel like the rest of this story may become increasingly more difficult to write, but I hope I can handle it (and that you will enjoy it)! I update monthly, and I can almost guarantee one in September (if you want it). However, after that, I don't know what will happen, but December sounds like a good time if you're still interested in reading this. I realize this is slow, butIwant to bring forth the best story that I can with my (limited) abilities, and I promise to finish it (Un-finished stories anger me). But, in the meanwhile, keep the KT flame alive! Thank you, starfruit-22, the anonymous reviewer, Holding On To Heart, and ladyyellowfor reviewing, I greatly appreciate it, and I hope that you will all continue to read my story and drop by a few comments as well.


	3. Part II: January

Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger's promise?

Part(s): Prologue, 4 Parts

Rating: PG-13

Author: Rome OMD

Date of Completion (Part II): 8/21/06

Date of Publication (Part II): 9/16/06

Note(s): The prologue takes place before the ending of the OAV (_Tsuioku-hen_) while the following four parts take place at the end of the second OAV (_Seishouhen_). Of course, there will be tweaked details here and there, so heads up.

Disclaimer: Rome OMD does not own neither the _RK_ series nor the _RK OAV_. However, I am using their characters without permission in the following piece of fictional work for non-profit uses.

Special Note(s): IzanagiMikoto previously suggested that if this gets to angst-y that I should perhaps change the genre. But, I find that this is more of a romance story of the love that had, still, and will exist b/w Kenshin and Tomoe. It might get a bit a depressing (okay, a lot), but I don't think it's ever overwhelming to an unhealthy degree. Because, I mean, c'mon, it's not the end if the conflict isn't resolved, right? (That's assuming I decide to end on a happy note; guess you'll have to continue reading to find out!)

And while I'm here ranting on and on (sorry), I really want to thank those who reviewed Part I, which include Peacebunnie, Jupe-san, bluekitsune251, IzanagiMikoto, A lilmatchgirl, Super Sheba, PrincessAngel101, and the two anonymous reviewers, endless and ladyyellow. I'm so happy that you guys are reading it; I guess that means I'll just punch out some extra romance or something. Sorry for this long ramble, on with the fic! (This won't happen again next chapter, I promise.)

Boundless

Part II: January

Tomoe found the conviviality and festivities of New Year's Day addicting. No one rested even though the first day of the New Year had finally arrived; the inn in which she worked still needed to prepare for an innumerable number of gatherings set for that evening. Because of this, the innkeeper had asked her to travel to the marketplace, thriving in sales during this time of year, to procure additional provisions. Some customers nestled between crowds to get the last of the vegetables while others slithered their ways through any visible gaps in the gathered masses to buy the last of the sweet cakes. They surrounded the kiosks like herds of wild animals, shouting their purchases and bargaining their prices. Tomoe, on the other hand, walked unhurriedly on the relatively emptier streets, very glad to have woken early that morning so that her basket was nearly full.

While her attention focused on the bustling scene around her, Tomoe accidentally bumped into another man walking in her direction. As he passed her shoulder, he quickly looked back at her and whispered, "Sorry." He was tall with a not-too-exaggerated muscular build and hair as white as snow. He also wore sunglasses despite the season.

At second glance, Tomoe realized that she recognized that stride and that facial structure and that voice. She had looked directly into his eyes, which was enough for her to recognize her own younger brother. _Has he grown this much? How much have I missed? _She watched him vanish into the crowd. However, his lack of recognition of her inevitably saddened her. _Does he not remember either? It_ _would_ _not_ _be_ _ridiculous_ _assume_ _so_.

She passed from stand to stand, seeing if she had missed anything before returning to the inn. Seeing nothing of importance, Tomoe began to head back.

"_Ojou-san! Ojou-san! Ojou-san!_" An old lady shouted at her from an empty stand on the side of the street. "Come buy your New Year's fortune! It'll bring you loads of good luck for the New Year!"

Just as Tomoe moved to leave, the determined lady continued shouting at her, even gaining some stares from those passing by. Afraid to draw attention, Tomoe walked to the kiosk where she gesticulated to the owner, _Please, ma'am, I do not wish to purchase any New Year's fortunes._

In the few seconds that had taken Tomoe to walk there, the lady's manner seemed to have entirely changed for she sharply looked into Tomoe's eyes, almost piercing her soul with a spear of unduly clairvoyance. This caught her off-guard. The lady unceremoniously grabbed her wrist.

"A tragic love story, a tragic soul now restored to reunite with a love… But you cannot and will not, will you? Fate dangles him right in front of your eyes…"

Tomoe quickly pulled her wrist from the woman's grasp and left, momentarily perturbed by her words before seeing Kenshin heading towards her from a short distance away. Just as she decided to hide in the nearby shade, he cheerfully raised his hand up in recognition of her. She unwillingly walked up to meet him.

"Tomoe-dono, how are you? All of us hope that you're doing well. It's been a few weeks since we've last seen you, hasn't it?" There was a hint of melancholy in his voice. "Kaoru plans on holding a New Year's party tonight with family and some close friends. You're more than welcome to come."

He left with a broad grin on his face after Tomoe had nodded yes.

---

Convivial shouts of "Happy New Year!" and "Gimme another bottle!" filled the inside of the dojo when Tomoe neared the entrance. Her hesitation continued even when Kaoru had come to the door, because her cheeks were heavily tinted pink and she spoke with a slightly slurred voice. "You're late, Tomoe!"

Tomoe attempted to gesticulateheranswer_; I had to finish some work at the inn before coming over here. Only then would my superior let me go. _However, her response seemed to fly right over Kaoru's head.

"We thought you weren't gonna come!"

_Is everything alright in there? Are all of you drunk?_

"Ah, you're looking at us funny! Megumi's fault! Don't drink… She brought… sake… too strong…"

Megumi's voice slipped in from behind. "Don't listen to her; have a drink!" She exclaimed as she forced a cup into Tomoe's hands. "Enter, enter, and fill yourself with the joys of, well, joys! Come, it's so cold outside!"

The two ladies pulled Tomoe into the ruckus of a festivity inside. In the room in which everyone gathered laid scattered liquor bottles, cups, ribbons, other colorful things congenial only to the celebration of the New Year all over the floor, as well as the worn out bodies of some too-drunk celebrants. Yahiko sang to the ceiling, swaying against the wall, while Kenji (this caught Tomoe by surprise) lay completely immobile on the floor, a cup in his hand as well.

"My friend told me to try this new sake, so I decided to bring it here to let everyone try it as well. And, hmm, I can now see why he suggested it to me. But that's okay, because we've been crazy like this since day one," Megumi slurred from Tomoe's side. She shoved the contents of the cup in Tomoe's hand down her throat, laughing mirthfully. "Like it?"

Tomoe's stomach giggled. When she sat down, she found herself seeking more. Across from her sat Kenshin and Sanosuke, visibly competing against one another in a drinking contest, chugging down a jug's worth of Megumi's sake. After what appeared like four gulps, Kenshin dropped his drinking stance and toppled over, his eyes visibly in swirls. Sanosuke heartily patted him on the back afterwards, loudly declaring victory. They laughed.

Despite the excessive foolishness of the Kamiya dojo's New Year's party, the permeating happiness and delight lifted Tomoe's spirits, bringing a rare smile to her lips. She sipped her drink, privately proud of her high-alcohol tolerance as she watched everyone else unnecessarily disoriented in their actions or fall over from the power of the sake.

"Oi! Welcome, Tomoe! Glad you could come!" Sanosuke shouted from the other side of the room. Kenshin smiled back as well, the swirls in his eyes momentarily gone before reappearing again.

Tomoe laughed to herself. _I thought you had a high alcohol tolerance similar to mine. Well, people change. But I haven't, because I am a monster who stole another's time to live…_

About an hour later, when Tomoe still continued to drink, everyone else had already collapsed onto the floor from their severe drunkenness. Though unhealthy for one's body, in Tomoe's opinion, to indulge one's self in such pleasures only once a year was permissible—of course, stopping before encountering irreversible damage. Some had begun sleeping, a few of them even wheezing out loud crones of a snore. She chuckled at the sight before leaving the room and sitting on the wooden wraparound gallery, resting in the chilliness of the winter outside.

She possessed a bittersweet appreciation for the winter, simultaneously loving and hating it, approaching and avoiding it. It embraced and pierced her, comforted and mocked her, ultimately confusing her feelings. At the moment, she did not delve into the memories that acted as that which consistently stymied her, however, for at the moment, she appreciated the winter's quietude. It would be a friend tonight.

"May I join you?" Kenshin sat next to her but left a respectful distance between the two of them. Tomoe looked at him, and he must have picked up on the inquiry in her eyes for he answered, "I frequently drank during the Revolution, sometimes in heavy bouts to wash away the pain that would have otherwise distracted me. I believe it is because of this that I have the alcohol tolerance that I have."

They sat in a comfortable silence, the sounds of winter all around them—the whistling of the wind, the crunching of the snow, and others of the like. The stars twinkled above them in the vast black expanse like innumerable fireflies sent to the Heavens to light up the night. Tomoe turned to look at Kenshin's handsome profile, his right side facing her. When he turned around as well, she marked a cross on her left cheek. At this, he faced the distance again, his voice revealing a bit of nostalgia.

"It's barely visible, now, isn't it?" He paused, his attention focused somewhere that Tomoe could not quite pinpoint. "Soon, it will disappear fully, and no longer... no longer will I carry the mark of the Revolution, of the monster I had once been."

_You were not a monster. You were a pawn trapped in the violence and chaos of the time. Nobody could help it; nobody could escape it, myself included._

"And I can finally let it all go."

_That is your wish, then, _Anata.

"But, for some reason, I feel reluctant to. I do not understand why, but perhaps there is a part of my history that I unconsciously do not want to forget, despite its unforgivable cruelty. A person, perhaps, but I am not sure." At this, Tomoe sharply turned away, engulfed in chagrin for possessing the knowledge that she acted, once again, as the cause of another difficulty in his life.

_Forget me, _Anata_, as I have been working for the past month to try and forget you. Do not prolong your suffering anymore, just let go. No one can fight time, and too much has happened during our time apart. Let go of your past for the happiness you've here._

"Does this make any sense at all, Tomoe-dono? Or, if it is not too informal, may I simply call you 'Tomoe'?"

She nodded in glad approval; _of_ _course_.

"But, perhaps, for Kaoru and this life that I've been blessed with, I will forget." And again, Kenshin appeared to be lost in a distracted pensiveness.

---

Both Kaoru and Tomoe now sat in a local restaurant together, the New Year's party at the Kamiya dojo having passed several days ago. Plates of food and bowls of rice rested half-eaten on the table that separated them. Kaoru had met the latter in the marketplace the day before and had suggested, or rather obstinately insisted, that the two of them spend some time together, perhaps through having lunch together. She even offered to pay for the bill; Tomoe had tried to resist but could not put up a good fight for one, she was not well-versed in any type of (sword-fighting) technique and two, she could not readily voice her resistance. Tomoe began to question Kaoru's intentions but instantaneously caught herself, for who was she to question anyone's kindness? Plus, she would welcome anything to busy her originally uneventful Saturday afternoon.

"I would have cooked for you, but as you probably already know, I'm pretty adverse in the culinary arts. Eat up, eat up, you're too thin, Tomoe. Would you like anything else?"

Tomoe shook her head, slightly blushing at Kaoru's profuse generosity. She instead sipped from her teacup. Her companion stared out the window at all the passerby-ers, a lazy head resting upon a lazy hand.

"Our world is modernizing. Look at that, people are beginning to forgo the sword for those shiny, metal guns. Even their choice of clothes is beginning to resemble more of those foreigners. I fear that in just a few more years, our country will become modernized to the point that tradition will eventually become forgotten. I guess change is inevitable, because no one can stop time, _ne_?"

Tomoe sadly agreed, choosing to focus more on the bitterness of the tea than on the truth of Kaoru's words.

"I remember the first time I met Kenshin. It was a rather funny encounter," Kaoru said as she let out a slight chuckle, a smile sweetly settling on her face like sugar on a pastry. "I feel so old! I can't believe so many years have passed since then. But, even so, I'm glad, because the years have been good to me. I don't think I could ever ask for a better life than the one I have now.

"But, Tomoe, you know what? I've always felt that his actions, his words, his spirit had always been for someone else. Someone he had met before me, apparently. That person must have influenced his life so greatly to have always driven him past the limits of his body that he can so barely handle. He's fought too many battles, and he's scarred both inside and out—I worry so much for him. That's the reason his body's so fragile… But, in earnestness, I'm jealous that one person could have impacted him so much, even when he's told me that I've been the cornerstone in his life since we first met. However, there are times when he smells a certain scent, sees particular scenery, that I notice a journey into reminiscence. He doesn't do that as often anymore, but when he does, I can't but feel… Well, what can I do?" Kaoru's voice began to trail off, a tinge of sadness sprinkled in her last quiet words. "But, I'm lucky and I know it, so I shouldn't think such selfish thoughts." She put up an apologetic smile.

_I'm jealous of you, too, Kaoru-san, because you bring him so much happiness. Do you see? You bring him smiles that I never managed to bring him. That life that he's wanted, that peaceful life, you've given it to him. I see him laughing just for you, looking at only you so tenderly. The two of you are the apotheosis of love._

_And, I remember our life back then, too. In fact, that is my last string of memories before returning. _Tomoe breathed ruefully. _The few times we were able to forget about the bloodshed, even if for just a moment, were like precious gems to us._

_A sigh of relief exited Tomoe's mouth once she had finished sewing the last of the plants for this season. Under the trying sun, sweat trickled down her skin and weariness buffeted at her body like strong gusts of wind. The rain that had poured and left yesterday resulted in the day's extreme humidity. The air was so thick that Tomoe believed she could physically cut it in half with a knife._

_Kenshin stood on the other side of the garden, soundlessly tending the stubborn soil, his chest bared to the tanning sun above. He was covered in as much, if not more, sweat as she for, as the husband, he completed the more physically demanding tasks. He then wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand._

_Taking off her broad-rimmed rain hat, Tomoe placed it to the side before walking in Kenshin's direction. However, just as she stepped, a misplaced hoe quickly took her by surprise, disorienting her balance. She tripped and fell face-first into the puddle of mud in front of her._

_Kenshin's head quickly shot up when he heard an abrupt then muffled shout. He quickly rushed to the fallen body, unsure of what had just transpired. However, because he too was unused to running in mud and unaware of the obscured hoe, he fell down into the mud also, landing right on top of…_

_Tomoe shouted in surprise when she felt Kenshin land on her back. The weight caused her face to become even more deeply buried in mud, much to her displeasure. He immediately raised himself and knelt by her side, watching as she slowly turned around, the mud-covered side of her body gradually coming into view._

_The chunks of mud unhurriedly slid off her face like the sweat that had and still covered her body. Tomoe contemplated sitting up but, because of the exhaustion, fell onto the mud again but on her back this time. She sighed and closed her eyes. The mud quickly became a forgotten memory as she bathed in the awkward coziness of the ground beneath her._

_Only when Kenshin began to wipe her face of the remaining mire did Tomoe realize that he still sat by her side. Her eyes fluttered open when his thumb slid across her lips. As he bent over, slowly leaning against her, his body shielded her from the blinding afternoon sun so that she could clearly see into his amethyst eyes. They held a kind of lightheartedness. Then they slowly kissed, taking in the joys of being husband and wife._

_Tomoe's hands slid up his arms until they found a decent grip on Kenshin's shoulders with which she used to bring herself closer to him by bringing him closer to her. His kisses began a trail from her lips to her cheek and then to the very crook of her neck where he rested his head. And the two were lost in a solace that felt as soft as the white clouds above._

_On the other hand, the sun's demanding rays and the thick humidity took a toll on Tomoe's gentle body; she wanted to go inside their home as soon as possible. Her drenched clothing did not make her feel any better either. But, Kenshin did not move. "_Anata?_" Still he did not move. "_Anata?_"_

_Maybe exhaustion had wearied his body as much as it did her for he had diligently worked since sunrise. But now that they had completed the majority of their work, Tomoe wanted desperately to escape into the coolness of their home. With her free hand, she grabbed a clump of mud—_mightaswell;we'rebothdirtyanyway_—and wiped it forcefully against his resting head. She emitted a giggle when his head shot up, his hair whipping up in the air as confusion covered his face. She quickly rushed away, hoping to avoid being pelted with one of his flying clumps of mud._

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was rambling until just now. I guess I have a natural tendency to do that…" Kaoru laughed nervously.

Tomoe looked away from Kenshin's wife who peacefully sat opposite her, sipping her tea. _Dangling in front of my eyes… You're right there, dangling right in front of my eyes, and I cannot touch or speak to you._

_But, then, if you are contented, who am I to prevent you from feeling so? _She looked at Kaoru, who focused her attention on her tea, and smiled. _Because if you are happy, then I am, too, for you have found your ideal life and you share it with a great wife, a beautiful child, and loyal friends. For you, I will be glad. I'm happy I can finally see you with peace in your heart._

End of Part II: January

Author's Note(s): Nothing seems to really happen, huh? Well, with this story, I hope to depict the subtleties in Kenshin/Tomoe's relationship, which I just love so much. And though you don't really see much of it in the OAV, I'm sure that they had their intimate moments, and that's what I hope to accomplish with the memories (yes, I know, they're cheesy). Please, if you could, tell me if this is too slow, too lugubrious, too uneventful, or too whatever—I would like to know all that I can do to improve the next part. Also, note that I have been so addicted to writing this fic that I ended up finishing the next part. So, nay, I lied, and yay, I'll be able to release it in October. But note that the last part won't happen for a while (or am I lying again?), so take a rest and hopefully, you'll come back to visit (in a few months time… --')!


	4. Part III: February

Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger's promise?

Part(s): Prologue, 4 Parts

Rating: PG-13

Author: Rome OMD

Date of Completion (Part III): 10/27/06

Date of Publication (Part III): 10/28/06

Note(s): The prologue takes place before the ending of the OAV (_Tsuioku-hen_) while the following four parts take place at the end of the second OAV (_Seishouhen_). Of course, there will be tweaked details here and there, so heads up.

Disclaimer: Rome OMD does not own neither the _RK_ series nor the _RK OAV_. However, I am using their characters without permission in the following piece of fictional work for non-profit uses.

Boundless

Part III: February

"Please, ma'am, please, you must help!" Tomoe's gaze continued to linger on the man slouching next to her, his mouth opened in exhaustion and his eyes glazed over. Just a few minutes earlier, she had been on her way home just as the first few snowflakes of an imminent snowstorm began descending from the sky like flower petals during the springtime. A man had then desperately scampered towards her direction, tugging at her sleeve like an insistent young boy the minute he stood by her side. And since then, he had tried to convince her to accompany him back to his home where his wife lay sick, where she could undoubtedly offer aid as a medicine specialist, which she, of course, never knew she was.

He had panted, "I remember you! Aren't you the wife of a medicine seller?"

Incredulous, Tomoe widened her eyes. How could this man of all people have remembered? Then, could it have been possible that only Kenshin had forgotten? _No_, she rebuked herself. That morning in the marketplace on New Year's Day, she had seen her brother and he had returned nothing more to her than a brief glance one would give to an unrecognizable stranger before walking off.

"Please, I'm desperate. I love her too much to let her go; you must help," the man continued to plead. "Your husband—he should know which herbs to use or medicines to mix or something—something to help my wife! Should no one help her out of her situation…"

Tomoe shook her head in apology, knowing fully well that she did not possess any skills in medicine and that to accompany the man to his home would be a waste of both of their time. However, the man persisted. When she moved to walk away, he firmly grabbed her by the wrist. She did not need to hear his desperate voice to empathize with him; she only stared into his tear-filled eyes before knowing that it was not within her nature to refuse.

However, a few minutes into their trek to the man's house, Tomoe remembered someone who could most definitely be able to offer more help than she. They promptly turned around to the direction of the Kamiya dojo. They could afford no time to lose, and her delicate steps crunched on top of the snow that began to blanket the streets in thin sheets.

---

Kaoru looked at Kenshin, who stood leaning against the threshold of entrance. The silence of the four people standing at the Kamiya dojo could, at that moment, compare with the falling snow that afternoon. His eyes were unmoving, and though one could guess that his expression may have consisted of surprise and some sort of shock, it remained unreadable. Tomoe and the man stood in front of the couple, earnestly asking him to accompany them to the man's house to help his wife.

"I'm sorry, but perhaps you've gotten the wrong person. I'm sure that there are many others who could—"

"No, Kaoru, they are right. I once was a medicine seller, and though for only a short duration, I still remember some useful things."

"Cannot Megumi go to the man's wife?"

"I believe she is out of town this month."

"Please, will you come with us? She is bedridden and ill; I don't know how much longer she can hold on," the man pleaded, his voice growing increasingly more urgent.

Tomoe saw confusion pass through Kenshin's face before he collected himself again. Then to her surprise, she saw that instead of turning his attention to Kaoru who still stood by his side, baffled no doubt, he looked directly at her, searching for an answer that Tomoe knew she could not give. He sighed and stepped forward.

"Please direct us to your house, sir."

Kaoru placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Should I go with you?"

"No, that is not necessary," he said, his back turned towards her.

Kaoru's dark eyes met Tomoe's onyx ones. "Please, take care of him, Tomoe." The addressed lady respectfully bowed before leaving with the other two retreating men.

When they reached the man's home, the said character quickly rushed to his wife's side, forgetting to even shut the door in his haste. Tomoe closed it for him after the three of them had entered. The wife lay in front of the fireplace in a bundle of blankets like a caterpillar in a cocoon, readying itself for the time to flaunt its newfound beauty, although in this case, nothing auspicious would result if she also remained. The man automatically moved to the side the moment Kenshin kneeled down by the wife. He shuffled through the contents of his bag, pulling out a few ingredients and herbs that he had purchased along the way.

Tomoe watched from a distance as memories of Kenshin as a medicine-seller overlapped with the Kenshin working in front of her, his movements a bit rough as his mind strained to remember whatever he could of the trade. She smiled in bittersweet reminiscence, remembering the trip he had taken to Okata to help a bedridden son, whose father had pleaded with him in the marketplace for his aid.

_You returned a few days later, and I saw you smile in contentment, one of the few smiles you donned during that time. I remember my heart fluttering in contentment that time as well, for, I think, we finally thought that maybe there would be an opportunity, just a sliver of an opportunity, for a peaceful life._

_Then, my past caught up with me and yours with you._

A twinge of pain sailed through Tomoe's heart at that moment.

Time passed with a taut nervousness in the room. Tears slid down the man's cheeks as he watched Kenshin work in front of him, while Tomoe sat by his side in an attempt to provide support though her efforts never seemed to ease him. Instead she held his hand, which he grabbed onto desperately like a little child in fear.

Then, Kenshin stopped, his unmoving figure like a regal statue with his torso slightly hunched over the wife in the futon in front of him. Both the man and Tomoe held their breaths in anticipation. Kenshin turned and looked at Tomoe before smiling. The man cried out in joy, the tears continuing to darken the floor around him in random spots. Tomoe flushed before turning away, afraid of drowning in the depths of the redhead's pools of amethyst.

"She is okay. She is in convalescence now and will recover with rest."

Hesitatingly, Tomoe smiled at Kenshin who soon caught her gaze and smiled back, because during this very happy occasion, butterflies fluttered to and fro in her chest.

---

On the walk home, there stayed a comfortable, fulfilling silence between Kenshin and Tomoe as they traveled down the streets together, the light snow crunching under their feet. They reached the Kamiya dojo not minutes later, where they stopped in their tracks and stood still. Tomoe stared at Kenshin's back as he lingered near the entrance.

Turning around, he smiled. "Thank you for coming with me, Tomoe. I'm very grateful for your support."

Daringly, Tomoe reached forward and rested her hand against Kenshin's left cheek, where perhaps his last remaining memory of their past had once rested before having faded away. Instead of flinching, instead of turning away, instead of pulling away, Kenshin closed his eyes and emitted a sigh, tilting his head towards her hand. She caressed his cheek, the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, which was why she took comfort in the fact that he could not see her.

When he opened his eyes, she dropped her hand, the two of them simultaneously realizing something within their hearts at that moment. With a whispered thank you, Kenshin turned to leave. Tomoe stayed in the drizzling snow behind.

As she moved to leave as well, however, a voice abruptly caught her attention.

"Tomoe-san."

Tomoe politely greeted Kenji standing under a nearby snow-covered tree, from which he promptly walked.

"My parents like you, they enjoy your company, but I won't lie. I don't." He continued without so much as acknowledging her inquisitive gaze. "I don't understand why my father likes you so much. You steal the looks that are supposed to be only for my mother. I don't like it. I don't like you." He turned so that his back faced her, his gaze barely looking towards her direction. They did not meet each other's eyes, and Tomoe could not see the eyes that resembled his mother's. "I wish I could tell you to never come back, but I can't. But if you cause my mother any misery, I will not forgive you."

She watched his retreating figure, feeling a heavy wind blow past her. And quickly, very quickly, she shuffled through the snow towards a place far from the dojo where she could privately drown in her shame for her illicit longing and where she could not see a pair of amethyst eyes watching her from a distance.

---

"Tomoe-san, I can tell you're distracted. You've been this way for the past couple of days. Is something the matter?" the inn's manager asked once they were alone in an empty hallway.

Tomoe bowed her head in sincere apology.

"If you need a few days off to collect yourself, just ask. Your lack of attention ain't helping the business at all, you know. I can't afford having dissatisfied customers." The lady sighed at Tomoe's lack of a response, but what could she expect? "Okay, you sit down for a while. Want a drink?" Tomoe shook her head. "Don't hesitate to ask for anything if you need something. If you feel that you want to go home, I won't stop you, but just tell me beforehand. All right, cheer up, Tomoe."

From where she sat, Tomoe could just barely see into the inn's dining room where the diners and customers dwelled, chatting with one another as they ate or idly sitting around as they waited for their orders. In a corner table, she saw a man and a woman shyly trading glances with one another and blushing from time to time throughout their conversation. When they held hands over the table, the lady smiled a brilliant smile that led to a wide grin on the man's face.

Tomoe felt envy crawl around her body like the presence of a thousand unwelcome insects. She gripped onto her apron tightly, unable to fully contain the feeling within her. Having two unrequited romances in her life caused more sorrow than she could bear. And having to endure this winter torture felt like enough to—

Was she desperate? Was she so desperate to want to re-ignite the love that had brought her and Kenshin together during the Revolution? If this was the case, then was their love only the result of her desperation to overcome her first heartbreak over Akira's death and his to escape the coldhearted and lost feelings of a murderer? Had they only connected with one another because desperation tore so furiously at their hearts and increased tenfold their desire to feel human warmth, to grab onto whatever comfort available even if transient or superficial?

_No._

No, their bond was true. The flame they found within each other had filled their bodies and spirits with a type of warmth that could not have possibly been superficial. It was a bond to last for the rest of their lives, to never be forgotten, to never disappear. Why else would he have traveled so far, so determinedly that morning, through the snow to search for the one who had betrayed him, and why else would she have been willing to step forward to give her life to her fiancé's murderer so that he could live?

The envy died down and what replaced it was the fondness for the memories of a past that she would hold dear and closer than anything else in her life.

_Breakfast had been bearable. Lunch had been much more difficult, but she completed it nevertheless. But now, as the sun began its everyday descent into dusk, Tomoe stared at the threshold leading to the kitchen timorously. She had withstood the summer heat for about a month now, but the past few days had reached an unendurable level. Not only did the temperature skyrocket, but the air contained a kind of humidity that acted mercilessly towards her lungs. Even night failed to soothe her of the excessive heat, which had her consistently waking up intermittently throughout the night with unwelcome sweat trickling all over her body. Bathing twice a day did not solve much either. Because of this, she apprehensively looked into the kitchen where she would have to prepare dinner as if it were a tiger staring back._

_However, just as she moved to stand, an unexpected voice and question stopped her. "It is very humid today. Would you like to go swimming?"_

"_Will not you have dinner first?"_

"_We can have dinner later. That is, if you would like to come with me," Kenshin added rather quickly._

_Tomoe bashfully turned around. "I don't know how to swim."_

"_I can teach you."_

_Though only a lake stood in front of them, it stretched to the farthest of distances to where the sun just barely touched its edges like the smallest drops of orange juice mixing with the water. She stepped into the lake and trembled with delight at the coldness by her feet. Kenshin stood by her side, barely clothed, which instigated an unsolicited nervousness inside of her. She questioned it for had not she seen him several times with his upper-body exposed during their work in the fields?_

_Kenshin offered his hand, which she took. They trekked deeper and deeper into the lake until Tomoe abruptly gasped when the water level reached the middle of her thighs. She immediately apologized._

"_Sorry, but I don't think I can go any further."_

"_Just keep walking."_

"_It's too cold." Tomoe never thought she would ever say these words in the midst of this summer._

"_Give me your other hand," Kenshin said. He took her free hand with his own then met her gaze. With every step he took backwards, he brought her deeper into the lake. When the water's surface finally reached her waist, they stopped walking and remained at that depth. Then, he commenced to teach her the basics of swimming._

_Maybe it had been only an hour or maybe it had been several that the two of them spent in the lake. Though it took many attempts, much persuasion and reassurance (and of course, much patience), Tomoe was able to somewhat float on the surface of the water for a limited period of time and swim what slightly resembled the freestyle at the end of her lesson. She now sat on the shore, her attention not focused on the glowing orange semicircle slowly disappearing in the distance but on the one who moved with such graceful ease in the water in front of her._

_Kenshin walked up to her. "One more time?"_

_How could she refuse when he looked at her like that, his gaze radiating such inviting warmth and the orange of the sun harmoniously mixing with the violet of his eyes?_

_Once again, Tomoe held both of Kenshin's hands as they traveled through the water. However, she stopped once the surface wavered about her chest. That was the farthest she had gone all evening, and she stayed quite determined to have it remain that way. In the instant she saw the challenge in his eyes, she forgot all and became determined to meet whatever plan he had in mind. In the middle of her eagerness, however, she had somehow missed the transition from being able to feel the ground under her feet to feeling nothing there at all. She gasped and quickly held onto his body, feeling that grasping his hands did not suffice._

"_Come down with me," he whispered into her ear._

_Though Tomoe did not answer verbally, she thought that the tightness with which she held onto Kenshin was enough to reflect her desperation to return to the shore or to wherever she could at least stand confidently. However, it was all ignored when he said, "Take a deep breath," and then brought the two of them beneath the surface of the water. The sensation of water completely surrounding her felt new and bizarrely relaxing but still alien and unfamiliar. The tumultuous struggle inside of her that wanted to return to the surface was only matched by the absolute stillness of her body underwater._

_They soon returned back to the surface of the water, much to her relief. "This time," Kenshin said, "open your eyes."_

"_I cannot. It's too much."_

"_Trust the water, and it will not betray you." Tomoe tightened her embrace against his body and closed her eyes when they were once again submerged underwater. She kept her eyes shut. However, when a pair of lips unceremoniously pressed against hers, her eyes abruptly opened in surprise. Kenshin stared back at her, an almost teasing amusement glittering in his eyes even in the absence of sufficient light. His hair fluttered like loosely tied red ribbons behind him. They soon went back to the surface of the water._

_Kenshin prepared to return to the shore but stopped upon feeling Tomoe cup his face with her hands and softly kiss him. For the final time that evening before the sun's complete departure, they disappeared beneath the surface of the water, enraptured in the loving trust that existed between them. The water played against their bodies, pushing them together and pulling them apart in an inconsistent syncopated rhythm. Tomoe's hands traveled down Kenshin's arms until they reached his own, at which point she slowly wove her fingers with his. As she brought up her right hand, which held his left, and gingerly pecked each one of his knuckles, he kissed a trail down the skin of her exposed neck. He kissed her soft throat, then her collarbones. Then his head momentarily lingered near her shoulder until the two of them again turned to one another and found each other's impassioned lips. Their bodies danced in the depths of the lake like two figurines twirling together to music in a snow globe, lost in their own world._

End of Part III: February

Author's Note(s): I don't know Kenji's character too well; I don't remember much from _Seishou-hen _(not that I want to) and I haven't read the manga. So, his cold demeanor is a complete guess, but if I'm completely wrong, do tell me. Thank you so much for reading and most of all, for your patience, and I hope you'll leave a comment or two to tell me how I'm doing. Special thanks to PrincessAngel101 and blue-demongirl for your reviews on the last part! I'm always overjoyed to hear what you guys have to say and, of course, to have your support.


	5. Part IV: March

Summary: Before her death, Tomoe had met with a stranger to seal a deal that would enable her to return back in living form to reunite with Kenshin for one winter season after dying. But, did she overlook any of the strings attached to the stranger's promise?

Part(s): Prologue, 4 Parts

Rating: PG-13

Author: Rome OMD

Date of Completion (Part IV): 12/31/06

Date of Publication (Part IV): 1/5/07

Note(s): The prologue takes place before the ending of the OAV (_Tsuioku-hen_) while the following four parts take place at the end of the second OAV (_Seishouhen_). Of course, there will be tweaked details here and there, so heads up.

Disclaimer: Rome OMD does not own neither the _RK_ series nor the _RK OAV_. However, I am using their characters without permission in the following piece of fictional work for non-profit uses.

Special Note(s): First and foremost—Brobdingnagian thanks to all who've been reading and reviewing this fic, particularly Jupe-san, A lilmatchgirl, Hitokiri Jinchuu, sportiegrl, Wistful-Eyes, charleymiamore, PrincessAngel101, niphredilorn, and the anonymous reviewer for the previous part. This has been one of my most enthusiastically received stories and I'm very thankful for that, because it's the one that I've put the most effort into. I'm also very pleased that it's evoking some particularly strong feelings in some readers, which tells me that I'm doing something right (somewhat) at least.

Hitokiri Jinchuu asked about the switches b/w the Bakumatsu and Meiji time periods. Actually, I had included a note about it in the previous author's notes but had taken it out, because I had thought it superfluous, but here it is again: Because Kenshin does not remember Tomoe, she basically relives her memories in order to enjoy the supposed-to-be romance that was to take place this winter season. However (then I posed this question), does that mean Tomoe will be nothing more than a memory to Kenshin? I find that it's pretty much up to one's own opinion to decide, but in this part, I hope you'll be able to see where I stand on this issue.

Also, an anonymous reviewer had asked me to imagine myself in Kaoru's place and the suffering that she's had to go through. Yes, I do feel bad for her, but isn't Tomoe suffering as well? And when is love so simple that everyone can be perfectly happy? My goal hasn't been to bash Kaoru (and I hope I haven't), but to focus on Tomoe and Kenshin and their relationship, and I'm sure by now you know where my sympathy lies.

Enough of a ramble! Here's the final chapter, and I hope it suffices. Again, thank you so, so, so very much!

Boundless

Part IV: March

The breeze that blew past them at the moment contrasted greatly with those that had recently passed by for it held just a breath of warmth. This brought a smile to Kaoru's lips. She, Kenshin, and Tomoe continued their walk to their destination; an urgent errand, she had said and had resolutely pulled Kenshin out to accompany her. On their way there, they had found Tomoe just walking out of the inn where she worked and had promptly greeted her before inviting her to join them for lunch after their quick errand. And now, they walked down the streets, feeling the occasional previews of spring about to come in the air.

Tomoe smiled ruefully.

Though they walked together, Tomoe remained a step or two behind, unwilling to interrupt the enthusiastic conversation in which the couple in front of her engaged. It dealt with something about—well, Tomoe did not pay enough attention to actually know. But she did notice that they had such joy in their voices that it burnt into ashes the jealousy that would have otherwise arisen within her.

A few blades of grass began to peek through the snow as well as a few rays of sunshine through the clouds above. When the first of March had finally arrived, Tomoe had promised herself to treasure every last detail of her second life on this earth, to enjoy all that she could, and of course, to cherish every moment she spent with him. Her time neared, but that did not cause any spite within her but instead, serenity. Time was precious; it was like the last droplets of water in one's canteen in the middle of the desert.

Just as the couple laughed, their attentions fully immersed in each other's company, Tomoe noticed from the corner of her eye an invalid, arms outstretched in front of him with a cup in his hands, begging for money, and his legs…

Tomoe quickly saw that within the loose, tattered clothing, there were no legs, or at least, appendages that could be called as such. She kept her head facing forward but never broke her gaze on the helpless being, who lay prostrate on the ground desperate for money in the beginning of a chilly March. A good number of people passed by without a second look while others glanced for just a moment before continuing on with their itineraries while still others stared as they passed by. Tomoe would have been satisfied with being a part of group number two, but the nagging she felt inside of her would not let her categorize herself in any of the aforementioned categories of passerby-ers.

She averted her eyes from everything but the dirt ground as she walked over to the man and dropped into his cracked cup a generous amount of money. A fierce wind blew. She did not see the sparkle of gratitude in his eyes as she shuffled away, her eyes still unwilling to meet anyone else's.

In the moment that he realized that Tomoe no longer walked by his side, Kenshin turned around and saw the moment during which the money had just clanked against the metal of the man's cup from the open palm of her hand. Tomoe did not attempt to make any type of eye contact with any on-lookers as she resumed her position by Kenshin's side. The wind blew once again.

Something within Kenshin's heart wrenched or twisted or moved. Was it of respect, admiration, or sympathy? He did not know, but it prompted him into one of his rare moments of deep reminiscence.

---

"And tomorrow, don't forget to get soy sauce. I swear that if it runs out this fast again, I'm going to begin charging them for it!" her manager said as Tomoe exited the front door.

Once outside, she liberally opened her arms to welcome the grandiose arrival of the final days of winter. The snowflakes twirled around her like falling Sakura petals as she breathed out small visible puffs of warmth. With her head tilted up to stare at the dark expanse above, she saw a black Brobdignagian staring back down into the ebony depths of her own eyes.

_Just a few days left._

She looked from the snow falling on her warm hands to the piles of slush building up on the sides of the streets. Had time truly passed that quickly? Had her time to leave finally arrived? Despite the bittersweet of the moment, Tomoe smiled. Gentle snowflakes covered her hair like a bride's modest veil as she walked in the direction of the local restaurant in want of a peaceful time alone and, of course, some satisfying sake.

However, had she seen the eyes of vengeance staring at her from across the road, she probably would have been able to avoid the unexpected hit to the face, the pain thundering against her pale cheek. She probably would have been able to avoid being shoved into the darkness of an adjacent alley and forced down on her back. She probably would have been able to prevent the tears from spilling down her cheeks like the snow that fell.

"I don't normally punch women, but you deserved it, bitch." Through her clouded vision, Tomoe recognized the man as the same one who had tried to take advantage of her a few months earlier; the only difference resided in the fact that before, he was intoxicated, where now, he was not. "I never get humiliated like that, and unfortunately for you, I never forget a face. You ain't got no one to come save you now, huh?"

The pain bit at her cheek again after the man had delivered another blow with his large, unforgiving hand. She gasped in pain as well as in horror when she saw the unstable grin plastered on his face. Unsolicited whimpers escaped in puffs of warmth from her mouth as the man's hands reached beneath the fabric of her kimono and began to roughly stroke whatever skin they could find.

_Stop… stop… stop… Don't let me end with this… I won't end like this…_

The man cried out, reflexively holding onto his face where the unexpected clump of snow had been pelted from Tomoe's hands. Tomoe backed up as far as she could, her breathing uneven and her ears resounding with a distorting sort of pounding. Her vision degraded into something resembling disconcerting whirlpools of color.

She blinked once. She blinked again. Though she closed her eyes for a longer the third time, her vision did not improve. Then, it took her a moment too long to discern a salient blur charging straight at her, causing her to lose all sense of logical thought as she turned away, awaiting the painful strike that would undoubtedly come. Tomoe shut her eyes, prepared for the pending strike.

A second passed.

And another.

Curious but still apprehensive, Tomoe opened her eyes until they resembled thin slits, as if carved on a porcelain face by a fine knife. A sigh of both surprise and relief escaped her mouth when she saw a head of fine red hair immediately in front of her. Soon, she found herself swimming in the deepest pools of amethyst she had ever encountered in all her years.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Tomoe barely managed a nod as she fell into his arms. As soon as he regained his footing, Kenshin delicately laid Tomoe on the ground, his gaze momentarily softening before hardening again as he turned around to face his opponent, the _sakabatou_ in his hand gripped tightly.

"And again, it is you who comes. If only you could fathom how much I'd love to tear your guts apart now for your interruption…"

Kenshin glared at his opponent, the amethyst in his eyes unmistakably darkening. "Why her?"

"Like I have to explain myself to you, asshole. I can kick your ass this time and will if you don't get out of the way."

The empty alleyway then immediately reverberated with the metallic clang of swords sharply striking against one another. Tomoe quickly shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears with her hands, wanting desperately to efface all that was occurring. But, despite her efforts, the presence of the battle still grated itself into her consciousness, forcing her to open her eyes and acknowledge all that happened in front of her.

Auras of anger, fury, and revenge emanated from the two figures in front of her so strongly that Tomoe reached out with her hand, believing that she could possibly grasp onto these nearly tangible entities. She observed them with eyes half-lidded as if in a reverie, her vision having hardly improved from the whirlpool of blurs that it was before. Indiscernible splotches of random colors danced this way and that while voices—the cries of battle, screams of pain—and noises—the metallic ring of swords hitting one another and sounds of wet snow against quick feet—crashed into her ears. Still with the eidetic memory of that which had happened only a few moments ago, she allowed fear to encapsulate her into a state in which she was too paralyzed in consciousness to take note of the blood and sweat that traveled in rivulets down the bare skin of the one who had arrived to protect her.

She did not notice his uneven panting, his tense posture, or his trembling hands. She missed his one closed eye, his dirtied clothing, and his hesitant sword. She ignored his age as well as his greatly limited endurance. But she did not forget that he fought to protect her. And so, when she saw the man toss a handful of snow, undoubtedly filled with grains of sand and small rocks, into Kenshin's face so that the latter hesitated a moment, allowing for an opening for an unfair punch to the face, Tomoe internally screamed in horror. He fell backwards, and though he retained his footing, the man swept him from his balance with kick, causing him to fall onto the snow with a loud thump against rough ground. Kenshin let out a great cry of pain.

As soon as he moved to stand back up, the man ran up to him and landed a punch directly on Kenshin's chest, tacitly declaring his intentions to have the two of them maintain their current positions. The man then drew his sword, teasingly drawing patterns in the snow dangerously close to Kenshin's face. He knelt down beside him, donning a diabolical and mischievous smile, before landing another blow with his fist against the redhead's prostrate body.

"Old man, what do you plan on doing now? Look at you, so pathetic. I have to say, though, you're pretty good for your age, but it just wasn't enough." As the man stood up, he pointed the tip of his blade against Kenshin's throat before bringing it to his cheek. "What a clean face. What if I marred it with just a scar—like this!"

So engrossed was the man in only his opponent that he had forgotten about Tomoe; therefore, as he brought his sword down, he was caught completely off guard by the momentum of her pushing body against his own, knocking him off his feet. In fury, he swung his blade until he saw it connect with her left shoulder, drawing a gross amount of blood from the wound. Tomoe quickly threw her body over Kenshin's, cradling his head with her arms.

"Bitch! I'm going to tear your damn body limb by limb!" he shouted.

Turning her attention from Kenshin's still body to the man across from her, she gathered the strength from all of the rage and fury that had built up within her in order to shout at him, "I won't let you scar him again!"

"I'm going to kill you!" he shouted.

"Just touch her, and you will never be able to walk again."

Tomoe's widened when she saw Sanosuke standing behind the man, his face staid and serious.

Kenshin remembered only one thing as he fell into unconsciousness… A voice…

_I won't let you scar him again!_

---

_The door closed with an abrupt slam, pulling Tomoe from the equanimity of her demeanor that usually accompanied cooking dinner in the evening. She looked up to find that Kenshin had returned from his meeting with Iizuka and was buried deep in thought, his brow furrowed and his presence emanating something akin to that of uneasiness and perhaps anger. He silently sat down at the dinner table, but Tomoe recognized his preoccupied mind, which undoubtedly entertained troubling thoughts._

_A tense silence stretched between the two of them that evening like a taut rope, to the point that it almost choked Tomoe with the tightness of its unnaturalness. After dinner, Kenshin left to a secluded area of their cabin, leaving Tomoe alone with her household duties and baffled thoughts. When night had steadily swept the sky with black, Kenshin still remained in solitude, not having moved from the spot in which he sat after dinner._

_Tomoe sat in front of the fireplace, as she had done for many nights that winter. Its light rhythmically pranced about the white of her robe like wild horses, thus illuminating her in an almost ethereal glow. However, as she turned to stare at her husband, who was shrouded in a cape of darkness in the corner of the room, she felt a weight of sadness fall upon her shoulders and roughly land on her heart._

"_Today marks the end of autumn."_

_Kenshin answered with a curt nod._

"_I was once told that on this day, I have a choice—that I have the power to either make winter last longer or spring arrive quicker. Which is it that you choose?"_

"_It is a foolish thought. Man does not have choice. One must walk down whatever path Fate wishes for him."_

"_Do not sit in the shadows for it is corrupting your mind. Come here where there is warmth and light," Tomoe replied, the conviction of her demand unhidden. "Happiness does not choose whom to bless, but one can choose to be happy so that he is blessed. One should not have to suffer the pain that comes like a blade to those who have lost during this cruel time. I did not, nor should you."_

_Tomoe did not feel unnerved when her outstretched hand was left untouched for what seemed one too many moments. The light of the fire fluttered on the paleness of her palm like a butterfly, waiting for an agreeable companion in the spring. She slowly lifted the gaze from her hand to meet Kenshin's, hoping that her eyes would be able to speak a thousand times better than her previous words._

"_I should want the winter to pass quickly, so that I may spend the beauty of spring with you."_

_Tomoe smiled, clasping her warm hands around his cold ones._

Megumi walked out of Kenshin's room, donning neither a frown nor a smile. "He will recover, but it will definitely take time. The years of sword-fighting, especially on his delicate body, have finally caught up with him. I used to think for only Kaoru would he go beyond his body's limits like this; did you and Ken-san once—never mind, forgive my intrusion into your personal affairs. He is only sleeping, so you may see him. How is your shoulder?" Tomoe quickly shook her head; she had suffered worse. "Where is Kaoru?"

Tomoe gesticulated that she was sleeping in her room, after having used much energy to care for Kenshin's wounded body until Megumi had arrived at the dojo a day later from her previous medical-related appointment, for she was the only doctor that Kaoru fully trusted. Just as Megumi reached the corner of the hallway, she glanced back at Tomoe and said, "How my heart wishes that he would wake to see the first breath of spring tomorrow morning," before disappearing from sight.

Tomoe quietly stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. She knelt a modest distance away from him, her gaze ruefully lingering on his resting body. The light of the new moon poured through the translucence of the doors, bathing them in pools of nocturnal radiance.

_I do not have much to say to you, _anata_. My words are only good-bye and this, which I should have said before…_ As Tomoe leaned down to whisper in Kenshin's ear, she determinedly willed herself to not shed any tears for she could not be weak in her final moments with him. Her chest twisted and her throat sobbed, but she did not cry, not even one tear.

She turned her head to kiss the cheek on which the scar had once rested and from which it had, with years of endurance, finally disappeared. Bringing herself to the pair of sliding doors that led outside, she noted from the sounds of continuous drips and drops that it was raining. She slipped outside. Before sliding the door completely shut behind her, Tomoe looked back over her shoulder, to glance once more at a bedridden Kenshin before taking her permanent leave from this world. Her eyes filled with emotion, but she did not cry. She saw his lips barely move.

"You called me 'anata' once…"

Not even one tear.

---

"You loved her once."

At the sound of Kaoru's voice, Kenshin stood up, his eyes never leaving the bouquet of white plum blossoms that he had left by Tomoe's gravestone.

"Do you still?"

Kenshin closed his eyes, breathing in the redolence of the ambient March air.

This is what he wanted to say to her—

"Wherever I go, the wind whispers her name, spreading kisses with her scent, and I will never miss it whenever it passes by. She will always be in my thoughts, no matter what. I cannot and will not ever forget the one who has protected me all of my days.

"The scar that once marked my cheek is a physical scar that has disappeared with time and with your patient support and kindness. Now, I can finally atone for the sins I had committed in the past and walk towards the future, instead of dwell in the past. But, she has marked me not on my cheek, but in my heart and my spirit in a fait accompli. These scars will not disappear, even with millennia of waiting, and will remain with me forever.

"Tomoe, my wife, my love, my protector, in your scent, your presence, your love, your embrace, your breath will I forever be enveloped. May your gentle lips kiss this earth and may you bless my new life and family."

Turning around to meet her eyes, this is what he said to her—

"I love her, but now, I have you."

_Because love is boundless, I will see you again, Tomoe._

And the wind blew in a heartfelt answer.

End of Part IV: March

Author's Note(s): At last, I FINALLY FINISHED! It took half a year, but I still did it! Though this took quite a bit of patience and forced effort from me, I have to say that I'm quite proud of it. I really hope that you enjoyed it! After I finished watching _Seishouhen_, I couldn't help but feel a bit (okay, a lot) annoyed, because I'm an ardent Kenshin/Tomoe fan. After that, I wanted to write some sort of a fanfic as a response to mollify my ailing spirit (and come up with a bunch of reasons of why KT is forever! Ai, I'm such a loser), and this is what came out of me. Thank you so much for reading this, and I hope for all KT writers out there that you will continue to write more as well! And, of course, Happy New Year!

PS—I don't want to sound arrogant, cocky, or anything, but I'm kind of interested in submitting this as an entry to any fanfiction contests… would anyone like to help me in getting started?


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